Automatic railroad-frog.



Patented Sept. II, 1900.

c. w. McKlNNEY. AUTOMATIC RAILROAD FROG.

(Applicition file d July 5, 1900.)

(No Model.)

FE? A UMTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. MCKINNEY, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-FROG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,668, datedSeptember 1 1, 1900.

Application filed July 5,1900. Serial No. 22,568. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. MCKIN- NEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Butte, in the county of Silver Bowand State ofMontana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticRailroad- Frogs; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention has relation to automatic railroad-frogs.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich shall be simple of construction, durable in use, and comparativelyinexpensive of production.

With this object in View the invention consists in certain novelfeatures ofconstruction and combination of parts, which will behereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the invention in a planview.

(1, denotes the rails of the main-line track, and 1) denotes the railsof the siding or side track.

0 denotes the switch-tongue, which is secured at the point A of thetrack to the contiguous rails a b in any well-known or approved manner.

d (1 denote the wings of the frog, between which the point of theswitch-tongue moves.

f denotes an operating-rail arranged adjacent to the outer rail 1) ofthe siding and having its ends bent out at an angle to the length of itsbody portion, as shown at h denotes a rock-shaft having cranks h and7L2. The shaft is journaled in suitable bearings i and is connected tothe operatingrail f by tie-rods j.

70 denotes a rod which passes loosely through the end of theswitch-tongue c and has a plate secured to that end. The other end ofthe rod is pivoted to the crank 7L2. Placed upon said rod and confinedbetween the switchtongue and a fixed shoulder Z is a coil-spring m, theenergy of which is exerted in a direction to hold the nut on the freeend of the rod against the switch-tongue.

n is a rod, one end of which is pivoted to the crank W. This rod passesthrough a bearing-plate o and is provided at its free end with a nut 19,between which and the plate is confined a coil-spring q, the energy ofwhich is exerted to hold the switch-tongue in the position shown in thedrawing, or, in other words, in a position to have the main line open.

In operation when the flange of the wheel strikes the rail (0 it spreadsit toward the frog. This movement rocks the shaft 7i and throws theswitch-point from engagement with the wing 61 of the frog to the wing dof the frog. After the flange of the wheel has passed from between thesiding-rail b and operating-rail f the spring q exerts its energy andreturns the switch-tongue to its normal position or that shown in thedrawing. Should the flange of the wheel be thicker than that of theusual construction, it is of course evident that the rail f will bemoved laterally a greater distance, and in order to prevent the ruptureor breaking of parts I provide the spring 'm and the loose engagement ofthe rod 7a with the tongue 0, so that after the switch-tongue has beenmoved from the wing d to the wing d and can move no farther the rod iswill have a sliding engagement through the aperture formed in theswitch-tongue c, and after the flange of the wheel has passed betweenthe operating-rod f and the siding b the spring m will restore the rod7c to its normal position with the nut on the end thereof in contact,with the switchtongue. 1

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, the construction, operation, and advantages of myinvention will be readily understood without requiring an extendedexplanation.

The device is extremely useful for the purpose for which it is designed,and can be placed upon the market at a comparativelysmall cost.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what is claimed as new, anddesired to be socured by Letters Patent, is-- In combination, thefrog-wings, the switchtongue movable between said frog-wings, an

operatingn'ail adapted to be actuated by'the flange of a wheel, arock-shaft provided with cranks, connections between several of thecranks of the rock-shaft and the operatingrail a rod having one endloosely extending through the switch-tongue provided with a nut on itsextremity, and provided with a shoulder intermediate its ends,a springplaced upon said rod and confined between said shoulder andswitch-tongue, the inner end of said rod being connected to one of saidcranks, and a second rod having its inner end connected to said crankand provided with a spring for holding the operating-rail in closerelation to one of the siding-rails, substan- I 5 tially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

CHAS. WV. MCKINNEY.

Witnesses:

DAN YANCEY, R. R. WEDERING.

